Establishing God's Word for Life and Godliness
Summary
In today's sermon, we delved into the profound truth that God has provided us with all we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. This knowledge is encapsulated in His exceedingly great and precious promises, which enable us to partake in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
We explored the necessity of being established in the present truth of God's Word. It is not enough to merely hear the Word; it must be deeply rooted within us, transforming our lives and bearing fruit. The Word of God is alive and powerful, and when it abounds in us, it ensures that we are neither barren nor unfruitful in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We were reminded that our calling and election are made sure by diligently adding to our faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. These qualities, when abundant in us, prevent us from falling and grant us an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The sermon emphasized the importance of personal responsibility in establishing the Word in our lives. We cannot rely solely on pastors or evangelists to give us an entrance into the Kingdom; it is through our own diligent study and application of the Word that we gain access to the promises of God.
We also discussed the role of God's mercy in our lives. While God's mercy is available, it is not His will that we live dependent on it alone. Instead, He desires for us to be established in the present truths of His Word, so that areas like healing, prosperity, and deliverance are settled in our lives through His promises.
Finally, we were encouraged to confess the Word daily, allowing it to drive out anything contrary to God's will and to prepare us for whatever lies ahead. By doing so, we align ourselves with God's truth, which sanctifies and sets us apart, enabling us to live in freedom from all forms of bondage.
Key Takeaways:
- God has given us everything we need for life and godliness through His precious promises. By these promises, we partake in the divine nature, escaping the world's corruption. This divine nature includes healing, prosperity, joy, and peace, which are ours as we establish the Word in our lives. [24:20
- Establishing the Word in our lives is a personal endeavor. We must actively engage with the Word, allowing it to take root and produce fruit within us. This requires daily confession and application, ensuring that the Word is not just heard but lived out. [26:18
- Diligence in adding to our faith with virtues such as knowledge, temperance, and love is crucial. These qualities safeguard us from stumbling and secure our entrance into God's kingdom. They reflect a life that is truly grounded in the knowledge of Christ. [25:37
- Dependency on God's mercy should not be our default state. While His mercy is great, God's desire is for us to be established in the present truth, where His sovereignty is already settled in our lives. This means living in the reality of His promises rather than in crisis mode. [32:24
- The Word of God is transformative and sanctifying. As we confess and meditate on the Word, it separates us from doubt, fear, unbelief, and all forms of worldly corruption. It is through the Word that we are sanctified and set apart for God's purposes. [55:45
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. 2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV)
> "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
2. John 8:31-32 (NIV)
> "To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'"
3. Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)
> "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed."
### Observation Questions
1. According to 2 Peter 1:3-4, what has God's divine power given us, and through what means?
2. What qualities does Peter urge believers to add to their faith in 2 Peter 1:5-7, and what is the result of possessing these qualities in increasing measure?
3. In John 8:31-32, what does Jesus say will happen if we hold to His teaching?
4. How does Isaiah 53:5 describe the impact of Jesus' suffering on our lives?
### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean to "partake in the divine nature" as mentioned in 2 Peter 1:4, and how does this help us escape the world's corruption? [23:01]
2. How can the qualities listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7 (virtue, knowledge, self-control, etc.) prevent us from being "barren nor unfruitful" in our knowledge of Jesus Christ? [25:37]
3. Jesus states in John 8:31-32 that knowing the truth will set us free. In what ways can holding to Jesus' teachings bring freedom into our lives? [33:49]
4. Reflecting on Isaiah 53:5, how does understanding the suffering of Jesus influence our view of healing and peace in our lives? [06:17]
### Application Questions
1. The sermon emphasized the importance of establishing the Word in our lives through daily confession and application. What specific steps can you take this week to ensure the Word of God is deeply rooted in you? [17:09]
2. Reflect on the qualities listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7. Which of these qualities do you feel you need to develop more in your life, and what practical actions can you take to cultivate it? [24:59]
3. The sermon mentioned the necessity of personal responsibility in studying and applying the Word. How can you create a consistent routine for Bible study and prayer in your daily life? [32:24]
4. How can you use the promises of God to combat negative thoughts or situations in your life? Share a recent experience where you applied a specific promise from the Bible to a challenging situation. [19:02]
5. The sermon discussed the role of God's mercy and the importance of not living in crisis mode. How can you shift from a crisis-driven faith to a faith that is established in the present truth of God's Word? [31:03]
6. Jesus said that knowing the truth will set us free (John 8:32). Identify an area in your life where you need freedom. What truth from God's Word can you hold onto to experience that freedom? [33:49]
7. The sermon encouraged daily confession of the Word to drive out anything contrary to God's will. What specific scriptures can you start confessing daily to align your life with God's promises? [26:57]
Devotional
Day 1: Divine Nature Through Promises
God's exceedingly great and precious promises are the conduit through which believers partake in the divine nature, escaping the corruption of the world. These promises are not abstract concepts but tangible realities that encompass healing, prosperity, joy, and peace. By embracing and establishing these promises in one's life, a believer can experience a transformation that aligns with the divine nature. This process involves a conscious effort to internalize God's Word, allowing it to become the foundation upon which life is built. As these promises are claimed and lived out, they become the means by which one can navigate the world, untouched by its pervasive corruption.
2 Peter 1:4 (ESV): "By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."
Reflection: How can you actively claim and apply one of God's promises in your life today to experience a part of the divine nature?
Day 2: Personal Engagement with the Word
The Word of God is not merely to be heard but to be actively engaged with, allowing it to take root within and bear fruit. This engagement is a personal endeavor, requiring daily confession and application. It is through this process that the Word becomes alive in a believer's life, transforming thoughts, actions, and ultimately, their destiny. The Word must be more than knowledge; it must be an active force that shapes one's daily existence, ensuring that faith is not barren but fruitful and vibrant.
James 1:22-24 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like."
Reflection: What is one specific way you can be a doer of the Word today, moving beyond just listening to active application? [26:18]
Day 3: Building on Faith with Virtue
Adding to one's faith virtues such as knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love is essential for a life that is secure and steadfast in Christ. These qualities are not just adornments but are the very fabric that strengthens a believer's walk with God. They act as safeguards against stumbling and are indicative of a life that is deeply rooted in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. As these virtues are cultivated, they ensure a rich and fruitful journey towards the eternal kingdom.
2 Peter 1:5-7 (ESV): "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love."
Reflection: Which virtue do you need to focus on this week to supplement your faith, and what practical steps will you take to cultivate it? [25:37]
Day 4: Living Beyond Mercy
While God's mercy is a profound aspect of His nature, He desires for believers to live established in the truth of His Word, where His sovereignty is already settled in their lives. This means living in the reality of His promises, not in a constant state of spiritual crisis. Believers are called to a life of victory and authority, where dependency on mercy is replaced by the confidence in the truths that have been revealed and settled by God.
Hebrews 6:19-20 (ESV): "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to shift from a mindset of dependency on mercy to living in the established truth of God's Word? [32:24]
Day 5: The Sanctifying Power of the Word
The Word of God has the power to sanctify and set apart believers for God's purposes. As one meditates on and confesses the Word, it drives out doubt, fear, unbelief, and all forms of worldly corruption. This transformative power of the Word is essential for living a life that is holy and pleasing to God. It is through the Word that believers are equipped to face challenges and to stand firm in their identity as children of God.
John 17:17 (ESV): "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth."
Reflection: What doubt or fear can you confront with the truth of God's Word today, and how will you use scripture to sanctify your thoughts and actions? [55:45]
Quotes
"The knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ produces fruit, such as healing, which is part of the faith that abounds in us." [26:18
"Confessing the Word of God daily prepares us for what's to come, either driving something out of us or bringing something to us." [27:37
"We need to be established in the Word so that we are healed by the Word, not just in the church but everywhere we go." [01:07:38
"Establishing the Word in our lives is a personal endeavor; we must actively engage with the Word, allowing it to take root and produce fruit within us." [17:47
"God doesn't bless lazy; you have to get into the Word, have it in your mouth, and do this every day until it becomes part of who you are." [39:48
"An entrance into the Kingdom of God is ministered unto us abundantly when the Word abounds in us, allowing us to partake in healing, righteousness, prosperity, joy, and peace." [29:02
"Dependency on God's mercy should not be our default state. Instead, we should be established in the present truths of the Word, where His sovereignty is already settled in our lives." [32:24
"The Word of God sanctifies us, setting us apart from doubt, fear, unbelief, sickness, disease, poverty, lack, depression, and hopelessness." [55:45
"Confessing the Word over the Word establishes it in us quicker, allowing us to walk in the divine nature imparted by the Word." [51:19
"Jesus, the truth of the Word of God, is the 'I am' of our healing, financial breakthrough, salvation, and everything encompassed in our lives." [01:06:23
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